In the year 2000 John Piper preached a sermon which became famous for an illustration he used. The illustration subsequently made its way into the book, Don’t Waste Your Life, published in 2004. The illustration came from an article in Readers Digest about preparing for retirement. A part of the article related to a couple (Bob and Penny) who had retired early and relocated to Florida. Due to financial planning they were able to enjoy time on their boat, playing softball and strolling on the beach collecting seashells.
Piper used the illustration to say the following – come to the end of your life—your one and only precious, God-given life—and let the last great work of your life, before you give an account to your Creator, be this: playing softball and collecting shells. Picture them before Christ at the great day of judgment: ‘Look, Lord. See my shells.’ That is a tragedy. And people today are spending billions of dollars to persuade you to embrace that tragic dream. Over against that, I put my protest: Don’t buy it. Don’t waste your life.
It is certainly true that we should not waste our lives being self-indulgent. But who can actually say that this couple were doing that? Maybe they were instructed by their doctor to spend more time relaxing. Maybe they had been active in church life before retirement and continued to be so in retirement. Maybe along with their hobbies, they were engaged in other activities such as volunteering. Maybe God allows people to wind down in their latter days (or in other seasons) and blesses them as they do. It must be remembered that the article was about preparing for retirement, not preparing for judgement; it was published by Readers Digest not Evangelical Press. After Piper’s sermon it came to light that Bob was forced into early retirement due to a brain tumor. He had a long battle with cancer eventually dying in 2013.
There can be a tendency for some Christians to see their faith only in terms of doing things. Unless they are busy doing this and doing that “for God”, they are failing Him and wasting their time. Some Christians can be subtly driven by performance and measuring up. There is little or no room for sport, games, hobbies and such like things. While we should always be keen to serve the Lord, it does not mean that activities deemed to be “non-spiritual” have no value. There is much value in recreation – physically, mentally, socially, even spiritually. Recreation is the gift of God and can be enjoyed with thanksgiving. In a busy world what we often need more than anything else is to unwind. It is not merely a good thing; it is a necessary thing. And it doesn’t need to have a Christian emphasis. Collecting shells is not a Christian activity and neither is eating food, yet God can be glorified through both – 1 Cor 10:31.
As it happens, I recently visited a shell and gemstone shop in Hahndorf, Adeliade. I was filled with a sense of wonder at the varieties, colours, textures, shapes – all the handiwork of our God. Someone had to collect them and I am glad they did. There is more to our existence than kicking back and Piper makes a necessary point. If Bob and Penny lived without a view to eternity, they wasted their lives. Regular downtime, however, is not a waste of time. Perhaps those who serve the Lord most heartedly are those who most heartedly rest in Him and enjoy with thanksgiving the many blessings He grants. Don’t feel guilty about enjoying hobbies and relaxation.
1Tim 6:17, “God gives us richly all things to enjoy.”